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A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Dr. Jennifer Considine, Assoc. Prof. Dept. of Communications was the emcee. A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Emily Bailey lights the candles of those killed at the Pittsburgh Synagogue. A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Andy Solomon of Congregation B'nai Israel gives the blessing during the vigil. A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Chancellor Andrew Leavitt read the closing remarks during the vigil. A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Dr. Kathleen Corley Schuhart, Prof. New Testament and Christianity gives the readings. A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Andy Solomon of Congregation B'nai Israel sings the Mi Shebereich during the vigil. A candlelight vigil was held on the upper deck of UW-Oshkosh's Albee Hall Thursday, November 1, 2018, to come together and remember those killed at the Tree of Life Congregation in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pa. Eleven people were killed and six injured in the attack.
Joe Sienkiewicz/USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin Joe Sienkiewicz, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

EDITOR'S NOTE: In light of recent racist, homophobic, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic and other hateful messages going viral on social media, the Oshkosh Northwestern solicited essays from individuals of varying diverse backgrounds on how to battle bigotry and intolerance in the Oshkosh community.

What can I say to someone who is afraid of someone atypical that will make an iota of difference? When hearing the expression of disgust or dislike because someone is different, I have often wondered what they were taught or what their experience was that caused or contributes to this fear.

As a second-generation American whose grandma lived here 60 years and died knowing only a few words of English and as someone whose parent had a different religion from our neighbors, I was blessed with an outlook that is not quick to see any person as "other."

I do believe in the great bell curve of life, meaning most people are pretty much in the middle and what family, teachers, community and government leaders say can push people more to one side or the other. I do see some elected officials have made the current atmosphere more toxic and smelly than it seemed in the past.

We re-post hoping to find someone who agrees with us and sees it our way. It is amazing that anyone who is not Native American thinks they belong here and someone standing on the border or living in filth and hunger in a dessert refugee camp does not belong here. Historians tell us every human on the face of the earth is descended from migrants who came from somewhere else. Linguists say every living person speaks not a language but rather a dialect with an accent. Take a French class and then travel to France, or drive six hours in any direction and you’ll get it.

CLOSE

Chancellor says administrators began working on the issue early.
Oshkosh Northwestern

Maybe if we work or go to school together or serve on a committee together, I can convey to the intolerant that I’m not a danger because I’m a different color, worship on a different weekday or speak with an accent. I can support community leaders who see value in diversity; I can assist school employees who extend their hand to a newcomer; I will be respectful of everyone I meet; I read things I disagree with; I vote. But aside from that, I can’t write anything here that will ease the threat many see from the other.